Mobile concrete batching unit



A. ROSS Sept. 26, I967 MOBILE CONCRETE BATCHING UNIT 2 $heets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 6, 1966 INVEVTOF ARNOLD Ross ATTORNEYS A. ROSS Sept. 26, 1967 MOBILE CONCRETE BATCHING UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 6, 1966 BY ARNOLD 12058 W, KMAa/m/ 9 A TZYURA/EYS United States Patent Office I 3,343,638 Patented Sept. 26, 1967 3,343,688 MOBILE CONCRETE BATCHING UNIT Amold Ross, Lakeland, Fla., assignor to Harsco Corporation, Wormleysburg, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 577,382 Claims. (Cl. 214-2) This invention relates to concrete batching units and more particularly to mobile concrete batching units or plants of the trailer type.

The construction industry requires high accuracy blending of cement, sand, stone and water in the formulation of concrete in proper ratios to provide concrete of various degrees of strength. It has become conventional in the industry to transport and mixed concrete in ready-mix vehicles from a central batching plant to the job. Such a central batching plant provides the high accuracy proportioning of the ingredients of the concrete as required at the job and the vehicle completes the mixing of the concrete in transit to the job. However, when the job is at a distance from the central batching plant the cost of travel becomes too great and the economics from batching into ready-mix vehicles is lost.

For large construction jobs and when such jobs are at great distances from a central batching plant, it has been proposed to provide mobile concrete batching plants which can be moved to the job and there employed as long as required to minimize the travel of the ready-mix vehicles from the plant to the job. Such mobile concrete batching plants must be of suitable size for movement on roads within the limits of height, width and length as required by the various states and must be capable of erection at the building site without employment of specialized personnel or specialized equipment. For purposes of economy and accuracy of operation such mobile batching plants must be as self-contained as possible while using gravity flow of the several ingredients of the concrete wherever possible.

Further, such mobile concrete batching plants must be so arranged as to accurately weigh and proportion the several ingredients of the concrete in proportions as required for various strengths of concrete while at the same time minimizing loss of the ingredients, particularly the cement.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel mobile concrete batching plant utilizing in novel combination certain elements previously known to the art disposed in an entirely novel arrangement wherein the dimensions of the batcher are such that it can be roaded from place to place and in which the reservoir for the cement is so disposed as to discharge into the ready-mix vehicle at the discharge point for the aggregate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile batching unit in which the cement reservoir is pivoted to fold down into the unit to reduce the overall height of the unit when using the roads.

Another object is to provide such a batching unit which can be hauled over the road by a conventional tractor type vehicle as a trailer unit thereto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a batching unit which is self-contained and has all of the controls necessary for proper proportioning of the components of the concrete together with suitable mechanical means for raising and lowering the cement reservoir or silo.

Other and further objects of the present invention will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof.

In the novel mobile batching plant of the present concept a suitable frame provided with a pin for engaging the fifth wheel of a suitable tractor unit is provided with rear supporting wheels for use when the unit is to be roaded. An aggregate bin is provided over the rear wheels which discharges into a weigh batcher for the aggregate and this weigh batcher discharges onto a conveyor belt which brings the aggregate forward and upwardly of the frame to a position where the aggregate is discharged into a chute which in turn discharges into the ready-mix vehicle. A cement reservoir or silo is mounted at the front end of the frame and extends upwardly for gravity flow of the cement from the reservoir to a cement weigh batcher which batcher then discharges directly into the chute receiving the aggregate for discharge into the readymix vheicle. The cement reservoir is pivotally mounted on the frame so that it may be swung down to a position nesting within the frame and hydraulic piston means are utilized for moving the cement reservoir from its upper to its lower position and conversely. The cement reservoir is provided with legs which in its upper position engage the surface of the ground to support the reservoir and the forward end of the frame and pivoted lateral extensions are provided for these legs to steady the cement reservoir laterally when in raised position. Known controls are provided for measuring the weight of the aggregate; for measuring the weight of the cement; for supplying the appropriate amounts of water to the aggregate and cement before discharge into the ready-mix vehicle; and electric controls are provided on the batcher for operating the several gates and valves and for supplying electric energy for driving the conveyor. A hydraulic power pack unit is also mounted on the batcher for supplying fluid under pressure for raising and lowering the cement reservoir or silo.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and is described hereinafter to illustrate the same. This illustrative embodiment should in no way be construed as defining or limiting the present invention.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a mobile batching unit of the present invention with the cement silo in raised position and showing the position of the ready-mix vehicle to receive discharge of aggregate, cement and water thereinto;

FIG. 2 is a view from the left of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the cement silo in lowered position and ready for roading;

FIG. 4 is a view from above of the unit as seen in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a view from above the unit as seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail, partially in cross-section, on the line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail, partially in cross-section, on line 7-7 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective detail of the cement silo in partially raised position.

Conventional bracing is omitted for clarity of illustration from FIGS. 1-5 and is shown in part in FIG. 8.

Referring now to the several figures, the mobile batching unit of the present concept is provided with longitudinal spaced frame members 10 and 11 interconnected by vertical frame members 12, 13 and 14. This rectangular frame has oppositely disposed spaced parallel members as seen from above at 15 in FIG. 5 and the body frame is completed by bottom frame members 16, 17 and 18. An aggregate bin drawn generally indicated at 19 is mounted at the rear of the body name; is supported by the adjacent frame members and is provided with downwardly extending spaced frame supports one of which is shown at 20. Longitudinal frame member 21 extends between frame members 14 and 20 to support in known manner suitable tandem wheels 22 to support the unit when it is being roaded.

Frame extension 23 extends from the front of the abovedescribed body frame and comprises parallel frame members 24 and 25 secured to frame 12 and spaced by frame 26. Opposite and parallel disposed frame members are provided and one is shown at 27 in FIG. and at 26' in FIG. 8. Cross frame members 28 complete this frame extension. This frame extension carries a suitable pin 28 to engage the 5th wheel of a suitable tractor unit 29' which provides support for the front end of the body frame and power for trailing the unit over the road.

Aggregate bin '19 is divided into three compartments 30, 31 and 32, each closed by suitable gates or doors 33, 34 and 35 which are suitably actuated electrically or otherwise, as'is well known in the art, to discharge the contents of the compartments into a weigh batcher 36. Compartments 30, 31 and 32 are kept filled with suitable aggregate, such as sand and two different sizes of gravel, by any convenient means such as a loader or grab bucket. Weigh batcher 36 is suitably connected in known manner to a scale 37 showing the weight of the aggregate in the weigh batcher. Batcher 36 is provided with a valved bottom 38 which may be electrically actuated, in known manner, to discharge the contents of batcher 36 onto conveyor belt 39.

Belt 39 passes over drive roller 40 which is rotated by electric motor 41 driving through chain 42. Belt 39 then passes over take-up pulley 43 and then over forming rollers 44 mounted in frame 45. Frame 45 extends upwardly to the front end of the body frame and has roller 46 mounted at the upper forward extremity thereof. Belt 39 passes over roller 46' and returns beneath frame 45 supported by rollers 47 and then passes under roller 48 to return roller 49. Belt 39 is endless and its tension and length are adjusted by movement of take-up pulley 43.

As seen in FIG. 7, frame 45 comprises side frame members 50 and 51 separated by bed plate 52 with the shape of conveyor belt 39 formed by rollers 44, 53 and 54, with rollers 47 suspended for rotation beneath frames 50 and 51 and supporting belt 39 on its return flight.

Roller 46 is disposed adjacent to chute 55 into which conveyor belt 39 discharges and chute 55 terminates in flexible sleeve 56 which discharges into the ready-mix vehicle shown generally at 57.

A rectangular framework made up of members 58-66 is mounted on pivots 67 in vertical body frame members 26 and is supported by diagonal frame members 68 for rotation about pivots 67 from the upper position shown in FIG. 1 to the lower position shown in FIG. 3. A fivepart hydraulic piston 69 is pivoted to frame 58-66 at 70 and is pivoted to the body frame member 17 at 71 to raise and lower framework 58-66 about pivots 67.

Hydraulic pistons 101 and 192 are mounted "on the top front of frame members 26 and 26 for purposes to be described hereinafter.

Frame 58-66 supports cement reservoir or silo 72 which is closed at the top and terminates in a conical lower discharge end 73 for discharge of cement through extension 74 which is cont-rolled by a suitable electrically actuated gate 75 which operates in known manner. Extension 74 discharges into weigh chute 76 which, in turn, discharges through flexible extension 77 and water ring 78 into chute 55. Bin 72 is closed at the top and is provided with a vent 79. Cement from conventional transporting vehicles is blown into bin 72 in known manner. Aeration flow pads, generally indicated at 89, may be mounted in bin 72 in known manner to provide uniform flow of cement for discharge through gate 75.

Chute 76 is closed by discharge valve 81 which is electrically actuated in known manner, and chute 76 is connected, in known manner, to a cement weigh scale 82 for measuring the proper amount of cement to be discharged with the measured amounts of aggregate into the readymix vehicle 57.

Legs 83 and 84 are rotatably mounted on frames 64 and 58, respectively, to support bin 72 in raised position. Legs 83 and 84 are provided with lateral extensions 85 and 86, respectively, to provide lateral support for bins 72. Legs 83 and 84 may be suitably braced in the vertical position by removable frame pieces 87 connected to frame members 23. 1

When in use, the mobile batcher of the present concept may be supported upon suitable blocks of wood or blocks of other material generally indicated at 87' suitably and appropriately spaced under frame of the unit.

When in raised position, frame 58-66 is locked by manually placed lockpins 88 disposed in frame members 26 above pivots 67.

As seen in FIG. 6, frame 26 supports bearing member 89 through which pivot pin 67 passes, pin 67 being secured therein by lock bolts 90. Frame 58-66 has downwardly extending frame members 91 which are braced by diagonal frame members 68. Frame member 91 supports bearing 92 which receives pin 67, thus providing for rotation of frame 58-66 on pin 67,

A suitable electric power panel 93 is mounted on frame extension 23 and is provided, in known manner, with connections for receiving electric current from outside sources and for distribution to electric control panel 94. Control panel 94 is connected to the various electrically actuated components of the unit in known manner and is provided with switches for manual actuation by the operator of the unit for controlling the components in desired cycle or the cycle may be controlled automatically. Panel 94 is also connected to electric motor 95 driving the pump of a hydraulic power pack 96 supplying fluid under pressure to ,piston 69 .for raising and lowerin silo 72. Motor 95 may be replaced by any suitable internal combustion engine. Watermeter 97 is connected to a suitable source of water and supplies measured quantities of water to water ring 78.

The various electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic circuits and systems generally referred to above have not been shown in the drawings to simplify the illustration of the present invention, since such circuits and systems are entirely conventional and can be provided by one skilled in the art without invention. For example, the air compressor unit 98 (FIG. 5) may be driven by a suitable electric motor, not shown, which is connected to electric control panel 94 and provides air under pressure to the aeration flow pad 80, such flow pad being entirely conventional.

Skirts 99 may be provided on each side of weigh batcher 36, extending downwardly past the edges of conveyor belt 39 to direct the discharged aggregate from batcher 36 onto belt 39.

When the unit in condition shown in FIG. 3 has been trailed to a job site, blocks are disposed thereunder as in FIG. 1 and the tractor 29 is removed. Hydraulic fluid under pressure is supplied to five-part hydraulic piston 69 from power pack 96 and at the same time hydraulic fluid under pressure is supplied to pistons 101 and 102 to extend them. Piston 69 is extended and raises cement silo 72 and its supporting framework about pivots 67. As silo 72 is raised it reaches the position shown in FIG. 8 in which lateral extensions 85 and 86 of legs 83 and 84, respectively, engage pistons 101 and 102 respectively. Thereafter hydraulic fluid is gradually released from pistons 101 and 102 to ease silo 72 and its framework into vertical position. When in vertical ,posi tion, lock pins 88 are inserted and extensions '85 "and 86 moved to position shown in FIG. 2.

With the unit of the present concept disposed as in FIG. 1, the operator seeing that bins 30, 31 and 32 are full of appropriate aggregate and that silo 72 is full of cement, electrically a-ctuates gates 33, 34 and 35 from control panel 94 to discharge aggregate into weigh batcher 36. When the appropriate weight of aggregate is shown on scale 37 and with conveyor belt 39 driven by motor 41, the doors of weigh batcher 36 are electrically opened from control panel 94 to discharge the weighed amount of aggregate onto conveyor belt 39. As the aggregate on belt 39 approaches chute 55, the operator actuates gate 75 from control panel 94 to discharge cement into weighing chute 76. When a predetermined amount of cement by weight is shown on scale 82, discharge valve 81 is opened electrically from panel 94 and the cement is discharged through extension 77 past water ring 78 into chute 55. In the meantime, the operator has actuated watermeter 97 to provide the measured amount of water to water ring 78 so that predetermined amounts of ag regate, cement and water are discharged through sleeve 56 into the ready-mix vehicle 57, depending upon the strength of concrete desired.

The operation just described may be cycled automatically by known means.

When the unit is to be moved to another location, lock pins 88 are removed and piston 69 is suitably actuated to rotate silo 72 and its supporting framework on pivots 67 to swing the silo 72 and its framework into the position shown in FIG. 3, movable frame members 87 having first been detached from legs 83 and 84 and adjacent frame members 23. Lateral extensions 85 and 36 may then be rotated into the downward position shown in FIG. 3 and the unit is ready to receive its tractor 29. Tractor 29 is then moved into position beneath kingpin 28 and the same is coupled to the fifth wheel of the tractor, Blocks 87' are then removed and the mobile unit is supported on wheels 22 and by tractor 29 and is ready to be roaded.

Skirts 99 prevent loss of aggregate upon discharge from weigh batcher 36 onto conveyor belt 39. Conveyor belt 39 is trough-shaped as seen in FIG. 7 so that loss of aggregate over the sides of the belt is minimized. The aggregate discharges into chute 55 and the cement discharges from its weigh trough 76 directly into chute 55 to extension 77 past water ring 78 so that there is minimum loss of cement due to dusting. By the time the aggregate and cement reach sleeve 56 and vehicle 57, it is thoroughly wetted and there is no loss of cement.

It is therefore apparent that the positioning of the cement bin or silo 72 for discharge vertically downward adjacent the forward end of the mobile batching unit and directly above the aggregate chute 55 for direct discharge into the vehicle 57 minimizes loss of cement while providing the aggregate and cement with an appropriate amount of water immediately prior to discharge into the vehicle. With this arrangement of silo 72, silo 72 and its supporting frame can be readily lowered into the longitudinal framework of the unit to decrease the height of the unit to Within the height prescribed by state laws for vehicles on the road.

Changes in or modifications to the above-described illustrative embodiment of this invention may now be suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from the present inventive concept. Reference should therefore be had to the appended claims to determine the scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A mobile concrete batching plant comprising an elongated rectangular frame, wheels mounted at one end of said frame supporting said end of said unit on the road, means at the other end of said frame for removably connecting said frame to a tractor, aggregate bins mounted on said frame over said wheels, at weigh batcher beneath said bins, a conveyor extending beneath said weigh batcher and extending within and to said other end of said frame, a chute mounted adjacent the top of and on said other end of said frame receiving aggregate from said conveyor for discharge into a concrete mixer, a silo frame pivotally mounted on said other end of said frame and extending within said frame when in lowered position, a cement silo carried by said silo frame, hydraulic piston means extending between said frame and said silo frame for raising said silo frame and said silo to vertical position, means for loading said silo with cement, a cement weigh batcher mounted on said silo frame and receiving cement from said silo and discharge means for said cement weigh batcher discharging cement directly into said chute.

2. A mobile concrete batching plant comprising an elongated rectangular frame, Wheels mounted at one end of said frame supporting said end of said unit on the road, means at the other end of said frame for removably connecting said frame to a tractor, aggregate bins mounted on said frame over said wheels, a weigh batcher beneath said bins, a conveyor extending beneath said weigh batcher and extending within and to the other end of said frame, a chute mounted adjacent the top of and on said other end of said frame receiving aggregate from said conveyor for discharge into a concrete mixer, a silo frame pivotally mounted on said other end of said frame and extending within said frame when in lowered position, a cement silo carried by said silo frame, hydraulic piston means extending between said frame and said silo frame for raising said silo frame and said silo to vertical position, means for loading said silo with cement, a cement weigh batcher mounted on said silo frame and receiving cement from said silo, discharge means for said cement weigh batcher discharging cement directly into said chute, supporting legs for said silo frame spaced from said other end of said frame when said silo frame is in vertical position, lateral extensions mounted on said legs and means for mounting said legs for rotation on said silo frame.

3. A plant as described in claim 2, including hydraulic piston means extending from said other end of said frame for engagement with said lateral extensions when said silo frame is partially raised by said hydraulic piston means.

4. A mobile concrete batching plant comprising a roadable frame, an aggregate batching unit mounted at the rear of said frame, conveyor means for the aggregate extending from said batching unit to the upper forward end of said frame, a cement batching unit pivotally mounted at the upper forward end of said frame to extend within said frame when the plant is roaded, means for raising said cement batching unit to vertical position out of said frame, a chute mounted on the upper forward end of said frame receiving aggregate from said conveyor means and means for discharging cement from said cement batching unit directly into said chute, supporting legs for said cement batching unit spaced from the forward end of said frame when said cement batching unit is in vertical position, lateral extensions for and mounted on said legs and means for mounting said legs for rotation on said cement batching unit.

5. A plant as described in claim 4 including yieldable means extending from the forward end of said frame for engagement with said lateral extensions when said cement batching unit is in partially raised position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,867,336 1/1959 Soldini et al. 259-154 3,189,327 6/1965 Domenighetti 259-164 3,198,494 8/1965 Curran et a1. 259-154 3,251,484 5/1966 Hagan 259154 X WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

R. JENKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MOBILE CONCRETE BATCHING PLANT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED RECTANGULAR FRAME, WHEELS MOUNTED AT ONE END OF SAID FRAME SUPPORTING SAID END OF SAID UNIT ON THE ROAD, MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID FRAME FOR REMOVABLY CONNECTING SAID FRAME TO A TRACTOR, AGGREGATE BINS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME OVER SAID WHEELS, A WEIGH BATCHER BENEATH SAID BINS, A CONVEYOR EXTENDING BENEATH SAID WEIGH BATCHER AND EXTENDING WITHIN AND TO SAID OTHER END OF SAID FRAME, A CHUTE MOUNTED ADJACENT THE TOP OF AND ON SAID OTHER END OF SAID FRAME RECEIVING AGGREGATE FROM SAID CONVEYOR FOR DISCHARGE INTO A CONCRETE MIXER, A SILO FRAME PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID OTHER END OF SAID FRAME AND EXTENDING WITHIN SAID FRAME WHEN IN LOWERED POSITION, A CEMENT SILO CARRIED BY SAID SILO FRAME, HYDRAULIC PISTON MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FRAME AND SAID SILO FRAME FOR RAISING SAID SILO FRAME AND SAID SILO TO VERTICAL POSITION, MEANS FOR LOADING SAID SILO WITH CEMENT, A CEMENT WEIGH BATCHER MOUNTED ON SAID SILO FRAME AND RECEIVING CEMENT FROM SAID SILO AND DISCHARGE MEANS FOR SAID CEMENT WEIGH BATCHER DISCHARGING CEMENT DIRECTLY INTO SAID CHUTE. 